Travel blog + Flights | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog+flights
Indexen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015Sun, 02 Aug 2015 21:00:25 GMT2015-08-02T21:00:25Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015The Guardianhttp://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttp://www.theguardian.com
Ask Tom - your travel dilemmas answeredhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/17/ask-tom-northern-lights-budget-flights
Lonely Planet's Tom Hall on Asia's best budget airlines, how to save and see the northern lights in Sweden, where to enjoy a local vibe in San Fran and Paris at Christmas<p><strong>I am embarking on a round the world(ish) trip on 4 January. I have got my ticket already but have to organise a flight from Bangkok to Delhi for 24 April. I'm hoping you can help by suggesting some budget airlines that fly this route. Furthermore, if I book it earlier will it be any cheaper or is time irrelevant to the price of a flight? </strong><br /><strong><em>Ashley-May Cashwell</em></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.airasia.com" title="">Air Asia</a> is launching this route from 10 December, and is offering one-way fares for &pound;49 including taxes, operated by Thai Air Asia. At a rate of just over 2p a mile I wouldn't hesitate too much before booking this fare even if it is non-refundable. Air Asia is the best known of the Asian budget carriers, but <a href="http://www.jetstar.com" title="">Jetstar Asia</a> (the Singapore-based offshoot of Qantas-owned Jetstar), <a href="http://www.tigerairways.com" title="">Tiger Airways</a> and <a href="http://www.bangkokairways.com" title="">Bangkok Airways</a> (both operating from Bangkok) offer useful connections around the region. In India, budget carriers are increasingly reaching out to neighbouring countries, with the excellently-monickered <a href="http://www.spicejet.com" title="">SpiceJet</a> flying from Delhi to Colombo and Kathmandu. Other options on the subcontinent for cheap flights include <a href="http://www.airindiaexpress.in" title="">Air India Express</a>, <a href="http://book.goindigo.in" title="">IndiGo</a> and <a href="http://www.deccanairlines.in" title="">Deccan Airlines</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/17/ask-tom-northern-lights-budget-flights">Continue reading...</a>TravelFlightsAsiaNorthern lightsSwedenSan FranciscoParisWed, 17 Nov 2010 10:29:24 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/17/ask-tom-northern-lights-budget-flightsGuido Cozzi/Atlantide Phototravel/CorbisFestive Paris ... ice skating outside Hotel de Ville. Photograph: Guido Cozzi/Atlantide Phototravel/CorbisGuido Cozzi/Atlantide Phototravel/CorbisIce skating outside Hotel de Ville, Paris Photograph: Guido Cozzi/Atlantide Phototravel/CorbisTom Hall2010-11-17T10:29:24ZFlying in the face of Google Travelhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/11/google-flight-search-fairsearch
Competitors join forces to prevent Google from 'owning' the skies<p>Last week, some of the biggest names in online travel came together to make a stand against Google's $700m deal to buy ITA, a US-based company that produces flight information software.</p><p><a href="http://www.expedia.com/" title="">Expedia</a>, <a href="http://www.kyak.com/" title="">Kayak </a>and Sabre Holdings (<a href="http://www.www.travelocity.com" title="">Travelocity</a>) are among those to have formed the<a href="http://www.fairsearch.org" title=""> Fair Search</a> coalition to voice their objections to the deal. They fear that if Google owns ITA, it will not only become unfairly dominant, it could also limit access to ITA's software, which is used to power the majority of online flight searches.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/11/google-flight-search-fairsearch">Continue reading...</a>Travel websitesTravelFlightsGoogleTechnologyWorld newsThu, 11 Nov 2010 10:31:53 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/nov/11/google-flight-search-fairsearchKim Kulish/CorbisOnline travel companies fear that if Google succeeds in buying ITA it could become unfairly dominant in the flight search market. Photograph: Kim Kulish/CorbisKim Kulish/CorbisGoogle Campus, Mountain View, California Photograph: Kim Kulish/CorbisVicky Baker2010-11-11T10:31:53ZAsk Tom - your travel dilemmas answeredhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/may/12/iceland-volcano-should-i-book
This week, Lonely Planet's Tom Hall offers advice on whether to book flights while the ash cloud threat remains, a history buff's trip to Germany, and travelling in southern India<p><strong>I haven't booked a summer holiday yet and am wondering whether to do so now or hold off to see what happens with the ash cloud. Is it worth waiting and seeing what Eyjafjallaj&ouml;kull does next?</strong><br /><strong>David Hills, Chesterfield</strong></p><p>This is something of a mixed picture. On one hand the eruption is now a known event and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/may/08/travel-insurance-policies-ash-disruption" title="">can't be insured against</a> – though if you have an existing policy it may be valid – and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/05/ash-cloud-flight-cancellations-summer-disruption" title="">the areas affected continue to change unpredictably</a>. On Monday and Tuesday this week (11 and 12 May) some airports in Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands were closed that were not affected by the earlier ash cloud which closed UK airspace last month. On the other hand, closures to both airspace and airports are covering smaller areas and lasting for less time. Given the unpredictable nature of the volcano it's impossible to know where we'll be in a couple of weeks, let alone a couple of months. For this reason I'd apply the usual rationale to booking a summer trip: if you have somewhere specific in mind, find a price you're happy with and book it. Indeed, there are some good offers around. If you just want a cheap trip somewhere, you can leave it a little nearer the time but there is always the risk of there being less availability. Yes, there is a chance that we could still have this problem in July and August, but any postponements to your trip because of the ash cloud will happen at short notice.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/may/12/iceland-volcano-should-i-book">Continue reading...</a>IndiaGermanyIceland volcano 2010 (Eyjafjallajökull)ItalyTravelFlightsWed, 12 May 2010 10:22:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/may/12/iceland-volcano-should-i-bookChristophe Boisvieux/CorbisSri Meenakshi temple complex in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Photograph: Christophe Boisvieux/CorbisChristophe Boisvieux/CorbisSri Meenakshi temple complex in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Photograph: Christophe Boisvieux/CorbisTom Hall2010-05-12T10:22:22ZVolcano special: Ask Tom - your travel dilemmas answeredhttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/apr/20/ask-tom-iceland-volcano-advice
<strong>Live Q&amp;A, now:</strong> Still stuck abroad, planning a new trip or confused about your insurance rights? Lonely Planet's Tom Hall is offering expert advice live online<p>Iceland's volcano has turned travel on its head. Planes have vanished from our skies, overland travel suddenly seems like a more attractive option - but how will it all affect your holiday? Send your questions to Tom Hall, who will be live on Guardian Travel from 1-2pm tomorrow offering expert advice. Email (<a href="mailto:tomhalltravel@googlemail.com" title="">tomhalltravel@googlemail.com</a>), post questions in advance, or post them on the day – Tom will get to as many as he can in an hour.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/apr/20/ask-tom-iceland-volcano-advice">Continue reading...</a>Iceland volcano 2010 (Eyjafjallajökull)FlightsTravelVolcanoesTue, 20 Apr 2010 14:24:37 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/travel/blog/2010/apr/20/ask-tom-iceland-volcano-adviceKerrick James/CorbisHoliday up in the air ... would it be better to stay grounded on a train trip? Photograph: Kerrick James/CorbisKerrick James/CorbisPassenger train on railroad in the Swiss Alps Photograph: Kerrick James/CorbisTom Hall2010-04-20T14:24:37Z